Posted in: BBC, Doctor Who, TV | Tagged: daleks, doctor who

Doctor Who: The Show's Best Monsters/Villains & Their Iconic Looks

The memorable monsters and villains of Doctor Who have instantly recognizable looks that are case studies in iconic graphic design.

Doctor Who may have started with the brief to teach children about history and some science, but it's really the monsters that kids and viewers tune in to see that have made the series popular for over sixty years. The series has almost as many recurring baddies as Batman. Their popularity and longevity have been due to how recognizable they are and how much their look and shape remain the same after decades.

The Monsters That Made Doctor Who

There's the Daleks, of course, who are giant pepper pots with toilet plungers sticking out of them. They're the most iconic baddies of Doctor Who; their appearance made the show a hit back in the 1960s. Their shapes and voices are instantly recognizable, scaring generations of children for sixty years. Fans are violently protective of their look, such as when Steven Moffat introduced a new look taller for them when he was showrunner. Fans hated them so much that the series retreated to using the shorter, squatter, gold models introduced in the 2005 revival, and they've stayed that way ever since. The Ice Warriors have kept the same look they had since they were first introduced, though Moffat added the detail that they were a matriarchal society. The Silurians also kept their lizard-face look, though they haven't really shown up in the 21st-century revival of the series.

The Sea Devils will also keep the same look from the start  – fish heads and medieval peasant robes – when they return and will return in The War Between the Land and the Sea, with a few refinements to their look since mask design has improved. Then there's the Sontarans, who are an army of clones so they're all supposed to look the same. They're basically murderous Mr. Potatoheads in gimp suits carrying guns. The Cybermen have been redesigned more than any Doctor Who baddie, their body suit looks have been redesigned to more robotic metal bodies and limbs, their heads have also been revised from the original cloth masks to metal heads but always retained the round eye holes and handle bars that defined their heads.

The Genius of Simple Design

You could say Doctor Who is a repository of genius graphic design in its recurring baddies and even the Doctor. Each Science Fiction baddie is instantly recognizable in look and even in silhouette. They also make good toys to sell for merchandising. Even each Doctor with their distinct hairstyle and costume is also instantly recognizable in silhouette. These looks are iconic since the word means 'likeness' or 'image' in Greek and sometimes has religious connotations. Given the degree of fandom, 'iconic' can certainly be applied to Doctor Who as a TV series, its hero, and its many iconic villains.

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